DeadCities, RedSeas & LostGhosts
by FantomeErgo
Summary: A High School'ish fic revolving around the growing relationship of Kiba and Naruto. Rated M by default for later chapters.
1. On a White Lake, Near a Green Mountain

_On a White Lake, Near a Green Mountain_

Kiba leaned his head against the glass window. Through the window, out of the corner of his eye he could see the courtyard of the school. The girls were playing tennis, their short skirts flipping back and forth, even up sometimes, letting Kiba catch a glimpse of their pink and white panties. Only blurs though. He was too high up. Shifting his weight and refocusing his eyes on the sprawling math equations on the black board in front of him, Kiba couldn't help but yawn. Middle of the day, he sat there in his seat, leaning back and balancing so as not to tilt to far back and fall, eyes closed and arms extended while meshing fingers in between in an effort to stretch his drowsiness away.

"Kiiiba...." a voice from behind him called, drawing out the name w/ a soft, under the breath whisper girls are always so good at. Especially at getting boys.

"Hmm?" Kiba returned, tilting his head back so as to catch sight of the girl behind him. When he did, he just flashed her his best flirting smile and rocked back to all fours on his chair, leaning his head once more on the window. This time he just watched the clouds; doing their best to eclipse the sun, they seemed to glimmer and dazzle the light 'round, making the green hills just outside the school more and more enticing. He'd probably skip the rest of school today. Why not? He teased w/ the idea some more, taking it more and more seriously the longer he thought. It was the second day of school and it wasn't like he'd miss anything important really. Maybe just who was in his class, but he could care less for that. It could wait. His need to lay out and just chill on the rolling hills was much greater. He needed the snooze.

When the bell for the end of class rang, Kiba scooped up his back, jammed his binder and calculator in and swung it over his shoulders. A girl called his name from behind as he left the room but he just waved without turning around. He wasn't too interested in flirting w/ any girl at the moment. Continuing on his way, he strode through the halls quickly, making sure to be out of the place before any teacher got to see him escaping. No one really cared about the first few days, but the teachers might still complain and drag him to class. Staying to the back hallways, he made it to the rarely used doors on the east side of the campus. Other than the chance that someone might see you from the windows of the three stories of the school, it was pretty much the safest way out of the school; and coincidentally the quickest to the hills.

Intersecting the hills and cutting through the east campus of the school, a shallow river about 5 meters across wound its way through the hills, leaving the surrounding area green regardless of rain. Kiba followed the river along its bank, choosing not to dawdle on the main path case someone might catch sight of him. He liked his alone times, times when he could just chill and sleep or watch the clouds. Of course, he wasn't known as that kinda guy back at school, but every guy had his secrets, and so far Kiba thought himself to keep just the median. Unbuttoning his black and gold buttoned school uniform jacket, he let the ends dwindle in the wind. Bending over and picking up a stone, he let his pack slide off the one shoulder and fall to rest on the grass a few feet from the rivers shore. The sun, still largely hidden behind the cloud covered sky, broke through in patches, lighting the trail like stepping stones as the pebble bounced its way over the surface of the water. Lowering his hand, Kiba returned his hands to his pockets and starred out across the brook scape, the wind kicking up his jackets ends and blowing bits and pieces of his straight and frayed brown black hair to the side as he stood there. He felt good like this. Peaceful. Like he could get away from the world, his world, this life, his life. Like it inspired him, to search for what he wanted, whatever that be, or dream for what he wished, that never certain. He could straighten his thoughts here or clear them entirely away at his whim. Both were great. Mixing w/ the earth, the water and wind.

A few minutes passed, him just standing there, centering what was left to be sorted or purged, before he turned back to pick up his bag once more. Running a hand through his hair, eyes closed and a deep breath ensuing, Kiba resumed walking. Pack held over his shoulder, his eyes shifted, scanning aimlessly the glints and rays of light as they dashed and bounced upon the brook he paralleled. The sun of near noon was quiescent and slumber inducing, it's reflections on the wavering grass, the trace of wind swallowing the land as it hallowed its way over and abound the crescent hills. The first time Kiba had come here, the summer just passed, he'd been awed and reduced to the minimalist he'd grown over the past few months to accept. He hadn't known anyone then, it had been the first day after moving from the big city about 100 miles west, and taken a walk. The place had been overly rural to him, that being his first impression anyways. Big city him.

Eyes catching his goal, the lone shadow on the ridge, low, unfurled branches w/ small green leaves aimed downward, blowing this way and that, Kiba`s eyes became locked but glazed, vitrified and smooth. Brushing his bangs to the side, holding it as the rest rippled softly, he paused and stood, paying tribute silently. Readjusting the bag after the few moments had passed, he continued on. Ascending the last hill, he registered another body, a boy, blond, at the foot of the tree. He lay prone and relaxed, eyes closed and left leg angled up slightly. His blond, sun felt hair dithered like a wave back and forth, catching the Chinook wind that blew softly and anew. Kiba had made little sound as he had made his way up, and it seemed the other had not noticed his presence. Yet to say anything, Kiba just watched the the tan boy, dropping his bag silently and crouching down w/ his forearms lain across his sturdy thighs; he studied the small, thinner than grass whiskers crossing the boys cheeks in multiples of threes on each side. Soft face but w/ defined features, the blond boys clothes, bright neon orange pants, baggy and rumpled against the grass dew, black lined orange T-shirt hallmarking a toned, muscle bound body and accentuated biceps, Kiba regarded the boy with a dusky appreciation. A soft hum reverberated from his lips, lighting the day as Kiba took in the soothing sight.

Pushing up and standing, hands flush to his sides in his pockets, he looked down at the other boy for a second longer before glancing over at the clouded skyline. Finally he made his way over to the opposite side of the tree the somnolent blond lounged. Raising his hands up and intertwining his fingers, Kiba stretched to the side, mouth agape as a lofty yawn escaped. Releasing his grip, he let his body collapse slowly down, first back against the trunk, then slowly writhing his way till his head laid only slightly angled, the rest skirted by the grass, he began to drift into languor and listless peace. Just before though, he raised his hand to the median between his face and the distant sun. Fingers parted, the shafts dazzled through piece by piece, coruscating them radially before him and off his face. Consummating finally, he let his eyes flutter closed, lowering his hand to the side, outstretched perpendicularly and freely. The shuffle of the breez crossed both boys fluidly, the dying day pushing forth.


	2. Noise

_Noise _

A leaf drifted patiently downward, tipping back and forth in a circular fashion. It came to a halt upon a plain black band wrapped around and under the blond boys head. Catching in the boys hair, it fidgeted back and forth in the now cooling wind, making a faint scratching noise in tune w/ the shuffle of its brothers above. Eyes fluttering open at the sensation, distant eyes came to rest on the underside of the feather like piece of green. For a few seconds the boy just let it lay balanced upon him, before the wind kicked up once more, carrying it off in backwards circles.

Sighing, letting all the breath leave him, he slowly regained himself. Through the quite though, he heard a set of breaths other than his own held ones. It came, he could tell, from the opposite side of the tree, and judging from the pace and depth the person was asleep. Rolling silently over onto his stomach, the boy let the grass hide his movements, listening for a change in pace of breath to signify arousal. When he heard none, he propped himself up from the grass, like a fox checking the wind, first arms then legs. Craning his head around the trunk, he made out under the shadow of the tree and the dying sunlight, the profile of another boy. Around 17, built with a defined chest and arm size, the disheveled brown haired boy was as handsome as 17 year old guys go. Rough and tough but w/ that rare look of care in his hooded eyes and dozing face. Shifting over a bit more, the blond haired boy turned over so he was laying on his side, propping himself up w/ one hand resting against the side of his face, he watched the other boy sleep; studying the fragments of tumbling brown hair in the wind, finding the ease of the others face calming for whatever reason.

***

When the slumbering boy finally began to wake, scratching the side of his nose w/ one finger and yawning before finally opening his eyes, the blond was fooling idly with a piece of grass, spinning it back and forth in his fingertips. Noticing though that the brown haired boy had in fact woken, he redirected his interest. Mouth still open and yawning, the brown haired boy opened his eyes, starring directly upright first at the uncapped sky before catching sight from the corner of his eye the other slouching boy watching him. As he noticed him, the blond spoke up. "Oi," he said, pointing a pick of grass at him. Kiba pushed himself up w/ his arms behind his back.

"Up already?"

"Yah," the blond returned, "so is this your place to chill or something?"

"I guess."

"So why didn't you wake me?"

"Dunno, should I of?"

The blond didn't respond. A few moments passed again before he spoke again, looking at the ground now, his fingers dug in the blades, "I mean like, why didn't you wake me up or something, so you wouldn't have to...uhh..."

"I didn't mind." responded the brown haired boy flatly, no change in expression. The blond cast a quick glance up, taken by surprise at the answer, but immediately returned his attention to the dead grass he'd been picking at.

"Oh."

With that, the muscular brunette rolled back on to his back, hands behind his head, flexing to provide himself a pillow. "So do you go to school here?" he asked nonchalantly, watching one of the few clouds left in the sky drift by.

The blond grunted a yes back, "You?"

"Yup."

"What grade?"

"Tenth."

"Same...." the blond returned, looking over at the other guy, once again a little surprised. "You mean you skipped today?"

"Yah. You too I guess, huh?"

A short, under the breath sigh escaped the blonde's lips before he answered. "Yeah."

"Think schools out by now?"

"I'd think so, but I haven't checked my watched so I dunno."

The brown haired boy chuckled. "Bet my Mom's gonna be pissed. Probably freaking out right now, pulling her hair out and everything."

Naruto laughed back. "Too bad for you. I'm off the hook."

"Why's that?" Kiba responded, a havingz-of-good-timez smile on his face as he looked over, head still resting against the inner lengths of his arms. The blond just kept fooling with the grass though, and after a few seconds when Kiba got that he wasn't gonna answer back his eyes and smiled dropped. "Sorry."

A few more awkward moments passed between them again before the blond answered back. "It's fine. It's nothing," he said, trying to hide whatever troubled edge there were to his words, "I just live on my own, that's all."

The brown haired boy's smiled re-ignited afresh, "Oh, well what's wrong w/ that?" He questioned. "It sounds sick if you ask me. I hate my parents always lurkin' me over' how I gotta clean up my act and shit, pisses me off sometimes for sure. Your lucky is what I'd say."

"Yah I guess so, huh?..." the blond responded, "Makes it sound so much better when you say it." Grinning now, he matched gazes w/ the other boy.

"So what's wrong then?" The brown haired boy continued.

The air about the blond boy went morbid and morose then, turning his head a little to lose the direct eyes of the other. "Lonely I guess..."

The blond didn't dare see how the other guy responded to a stupid outpouring like that. '_And that's just how you lose friends kids, just follow me..._'

"What about friends?"

The blond said nothing back.

---

So I forgot to mention I only release when I have the following chapter complete. Good.

Feel free to rage, troll, wtv you will.


	3. Unrecorded

_Unrecorded_

For that painfully prolonged instance, that growingly melancholic period between where no words could possibly be tantamount to fostering an understanding among the two boys, the toll buried itself deep within the blond; for a reason beyond him, it dug deeper than he was used to. Probably because he never really opted to talk w/ many people about anything he really cared about, if there where any people to begin w/. Of course, he just rationed, in whatever partition of his brain he could sanely decipher at the moment, that he'd been routing the conversation in the way it had developed out of pure involuntary need. He understood no one really cared, following the rumors and such, and just blurted whatever to someone without a clue. It's not like they'd ever know each other after this, not once he heard anything about himself at school, like always. So why not?

It was still hard though, breaking the callused restraint built up over the years; mouth shut, eyes down. Doing something for the first time like this. Convulsing eyes fluctuating between the still intently watching and confused brown haired boy he'd just met, meeting the ground, then eyes, then back. For the second that he caught the others face he could see the growing confusion and the seemingly contagious effect he had on the other boy. "Oh," mouthed the brown haired boy finally, catching comprehension silently against the darkening backdrop.

The blond, out of desperation, cracked a weak smile and managed to hold the others look. "Yeah...heh," he huskily muttered.

And then something odd happened.

"But, I mean I don't get it... why?" The brown haired boy asked, eyes fastened on the others. "No like, you seem like a pretty chill guy, so why's that?"

"Heh," the blond chuckled lightly, "just how things are I guess." His eyes diverted to the dying zenith of the bathing light, voice and mind going asunder. He never noticed, but the brown haired boys brows were furrowed in thought and more confusion.

"So, like, who do you hang out w/?" asked the brown haired boy, no malice meant, just trying to fill pieces in. All he caught was a small grin from the side of the blond boys turned face, and after a good moment of no reply, he continued. "Hmm," he grunted, "that's stupid." From his words though, his own face locked in a pensive state, came a short, repressed inward chuckle that was growing from the other boy. Soon the blond boy was clutching his abdomen in laughter, a gigantic grin spread across his face and half a tear trickling its way down his face.

"Stupid, huh?" He got through the guffaw of laughter, "Heh, I never thought of that one." The brown haired boy just watched, a countenance of confusion at first, but eventually he cracked a smile and soon joined in on the catching laughter as well, eyes largely closed and valorous smile and chuckle matching the others.

***

When the tide eventually brought quiet between them again, the two slowly disengaged to transferring quick glances of common amusement, eyes still bright and teeming from the wake. For a few minutes they just sat there, sharing glances from time to time but mainly just watching the sun hide slowly behind the ragged mountains in the short distance. You could see stars in the sky now, no longer blotted by sunlight, and the moon, hung at three quarters, pitched it's glow forth.

After a good while of calm sentience the blond stood, the others eyes following him as he got up, stretching back his arms, working out any kinks in his back after sitting and laying on the grassy floor for so long. "Alright, well, unless you plan on working the streets w/ me tonight, I'm gonna get going." Said the blond casually, running the words with the exhale of his breath. On his stomach still, one hand propping up his head he followed the blond boy, raising a single eyebrow at his words. "Joke." The blond returned, answering the others unspoken question. Jamming one hand in his pockets, the blond turned around and started walking, not saying good-bye, but instead just bringing a hand up over his shoulder and waving a two fingered salute, just like the hero had done in one of his favorite books, before placing it too in the right pocket of his baggy, shadow taken neon-orange pants. He was a few feet down the hill before he heard the brown haired boy speak up from behind.

"So what's your name anyway?" He heard from behind. Turning just his head around, the brown haired boy was standing up, staring at his knees while brushed them off. "You never told me." He continued casually, still preoccupied w/ his pants.

"You didn't either..."

"Oh. Yah that's right, huh? Name's Kiba."

_Kiba. _"Naruto."

"Cool."

Naruto just nodded his head a tad, still looking over his shoulder, before turning back and continuing off.

"So I'll see you at school tommorow?"

Naruto just shrugged his shoulders, keeping his pace.

"Alright, cool. C'ya tomorrow Naruto."

"Yah," Naruto returned. _C'ya Kiba._

_--_

_Wrote this w/ only half the next done, mainly because I'm going on vacation and don't want to have it seem like I gave on up._

_I'll -try- to get something out in the next week, it's just there is a chance I wont; and I don't even know if you guys are liking this or not, heh._

_And two people -will- get together, however I'd like to -not- over fem, make ridiculous or surreal in the slightest._

_My goal w/ this story is to make something plausible, which be a much more beutiful thing than anything else I can discern. Yup._


	4. 0078h

_0078h_

White, black, blue, a plethora of colors, composed of numerous ads joining incoherently at a remarkable pace whipped by. Decelerating quite quickly though, people hurriedly w/ an eye of urgency began to make their way closer and closer to the bold yellow line painted at the edge of the platform. Men in suits, scanning their cell phones and Blackberry's, they all seemed so obedient and docile, as if they were preparing for another day of earth moving. Of course that's what most people in this city ended up as. That's what this city was built around and for in the first place, a succinct proliferation of successful firms and stockholders. Skyscrapers arching across the sky, modern loft residences designed for both maximum per block residential quantity as well as overall ergonomics, complete lack of any roads throughout the entire city and instead relying solely on Public Transit; and so this was, as the Mayor had dubbed time and time again, "the official center of humanities accumulation of efforts for advancement in both modern and environmental aspects."

Standing at the back of the mob of businessmen were the uniformed students, huddled in groups, caught in endless conversation. Leaning against the back wall of the station to the side, Naruto stood alone, school bag resting on the ground beside him. Focusing his eyes on nothing much in particular, he tried his best to avoid glancing over at the other teens. He may not know anyone, nor have that great a chance to ever, but he at least didn't want to seem desperate. He had no idea how to go up and just "talk" to anyone, and it would probably just turn out awkwardly anyways. But god did it make you feel left out, standing alone, pretending to ignore everyone else. The kid he met yesterday, Kiba, the first guy whom he'd had a non-adult conversation w/ apparently didn't catch the train here. Playing w/ the thought more though, as he had done much of last night, considering whether if he ever did see Kiba again if he would try and be friends w/ the guy. In the end he'd decided against it. He seemed like a good guy, Kiba. Anyone who might see himself and Kiba as being friends would not be a good thing. He wasn't about to drag down someone he counted as such a cool guy. Instead though, he'd just remember w/ a dim smile the one time since his parent's death that he'd actually had something close to a friend.

The complete mass of adults had now disappeared from the station after boarding the last tram, the students left flowing out and dispersing throughout the station floor. Naruto remained where he was. No one had said anything to him at all. It wasn't like he hadn't expected otherwise, but it was still depressing a little. _I guess I had had some hope for a new start at a new schoo_l, Naruto thought to himself, _especially after last night_. He shrugged a little to himself. _Whatever. _The express tram was now pulling into the station, and Naruto hastily disregarded his thoughts. Weaving casually through the crowd, he managed to pick a car not overly jammed, though he did have to stand, which he luckily didn't mind. The sights you could see riding on the tram, he'd discovered yesterday on his first ride, were spectacular, especially when you stood. The tram was in fact something called a Sky Train, w/ steel and cement structures webbed out through the city gracefully; the sky train provided a seamless, breakneck transport system w/ no traffic and zero emissions (mag rail hybrid). As it sped above ground and even over most high-rises, you got to see great panoramic pictures of the city, w/ the twin lakes to the South, sparkling in the morning sunlight, and the rolling green hills to the North, where Konoha Secondary School lay situated soundly in the center.

Gripping one of the now warmed Sky Train bars w/ one hand, the other stuck in his black, baggy uniform front pocket, he watched as the landscape blended past him. The luminous outstretch of the grassy parks, the calming ability they held when watching them dash past at such speeds yet remain wholly calm the whole way through was arresting. It was hard not to lose yourself in the allurement of the faultless mixture of man and nature. The voices behind him, idle conversations in which he stood no part in sounded separate and detached. It was hard to imagine himself actually having real friends anymore. It'd been three years since then that he'd ever hung out w/ a friend, save last night maybe if you counted it. Starting Grade Eleven, moving had sounded like a good thing. The last city he lived in, his hometown, was not something enviable to him. Memories he'd tried relentlessly to detach from himself were all that remained there.

Of course though, it wasn't like the people here wouldn't have heard about _it_. But still, he could at least imagine in his mind he was starting off new. He wouldn't have the resonating hurt of degenerately cutting ties w/ all friends and family like he had. He could pretend, and maybe attain something new for himself. But he set no expectation, no hopes. Crashing sucked he'd discovered, and now he found himself perpetually doing his utmost to avoid it. As a teen boy though, sixteen years old and going to school five days a week, it was hard not to want to have a friend, someone to talk to and hang out w/. Thanks to his parents though, he had little chance of ever actually doing anything of the kind, and he knew it.

* * *

Konoha Secondary was a good 15 minute tram ride, and by the time they had got to the school station, Naruto had been fully absorbed in his own thoughts. Snapping to the present and realizing quickly though that he was about to be the last one off, he in short order made it out to the platform. Glancing around, students were taking down the same escalators he had the previous day, and so he followed after the ones on the left. Standing on the escalator, as it got to the halfway point and beyond the metal and cement structure of the station, the prodigious, towering collection of building wings of the school came to be visible. They stood just as intimidatingly yet elegant and ravishing in their sleek, modern features as they had the last day. Its pure size and block like smooth glass exterior gave it the feel of a whole new city.

Following the mass bodies of students flowing through the numerous wide outdoor underpasses, they eventually reached the Courtyard: the centerpiece of the school, a multi-hectare garden w/ copious paths like a network connecting all blocks of the school. Everyone met here, the social hub of the school. Its size just enunciated more on the purely unbounded nature of the school itself.

Not wanting to spend too long in the place alone though, he decided to take a left on one of the less crowded paths. He had yet to check his timetable since he'd received it in the mail just a week ago on the day he'd arrived in the city, so he hadn't actually any idea where in respect he was to where he need be, or at all his location beyond being still within the Courtyard. And so, pulling out the still enclosed envelope from the new RG backpack he'd bought recently downtown, he tore the shorter side of the beige paper envelope w/ his teeth and stuffed the waste in his pocket. Removing the contents w/ a jerk, he crumpled the cover and jammed it in w/ the other trash, ringing out the neatly folded paper w/ a flick of the wrist he scanned over the document. The letter had three papers stapled together at the top corner, and when recognizing a map located on the back of the second paper relief flooded his system.

Unconsciously remembering as he skimmed through the notoriously polite intro paper on the front page that he wasn't actually watching where he was walking, his eyes darted up involuntarily and scanned the horizon just above the paper. At this point he was only relying on reflex and motor visual skills to keep him from walking into something or someone while he continued to read, then flip over the first page and continue reading the second w/ solely peripheral vision. According to his family doctor, it was an innate trait, to be able to simultaneously utilize both vision types that is; and it came in handy sometimes, in sports for example, or reading two pages at once. Admittedly though for the latter you could get rather confused if what you were reading followed something of a progression, but it still generally put him ahead of his classmates in a lot of subjects. Not that he was proud of it really. No, the opposite truthfully. It was what had connected him to his parents originally. But he'd learnt to tolerate it even after the incident, as it seemed to take a good deal of mental energy to break its handling in the first place.

Turning off on another scarcely abused trail, once again lacking any signage, w/ shimmering glass buildings barricading him to both sides, he headed off in the direction of what he'd determined to be his first class. Because of the route he'd taken originally he was following along the longer track according to the map, but that didn't much concern Naruto really. It was only the second day, and they (the school board he assumed) permitted for the first three days of school an extra half an hour for new comers to get their bearings. _How thoughtful of them, _he thought, rolling his eyes. _But at_ l_east they have some taste, _he continued, _I mean, I'm not really one to talk_, he smiled, _but it is kind of a cool setup they got goin' here. G_lancing around then whilst putting to memory his classes and their locations as he read, he took in more of his surroundings. The paths were paralleled by minimally groomed forest nature; assumedly a chosen remnant the school had decided gave a nice foil to the generally upbeat, contemporary styling of the school. And it did, Naruto had to admit, something of a macrocosmic outlook or so.

Finally catching sight of the building he'd been heading for, he stalled mid stride and cocked his head back, trying to take in the enormity of the "West Wing". His eyes detracted entirely from his reading, gazing up instead towards the towering building standing at least five stories above the angled tree line he looked up from. Huge glass walls/windows with no visible support structures to draw from the integral totality, the building was an immense translucent structure. Naruto could make out the many bodies inside the building, on every floor, the school desks and the binders of all the students. He had known from looking over the map that it was one of the four major complexes of the school, but he'd never even imagined something to this scale and grandeur. It was remarkable not only in its overall being, but also in the state of disbelief it had managed to suspend the on-looking teen in.

After a little while however his eyes began to dispatch in glancing motions around, searching for anyone whom might of seen him just staring stupidly w/ his head cocked back. Making sure to look over his shoulder just enough to take in the path behind, he continued on forward, the wind kicking up and blowing his hair so the lightest hairs wound themselves 'round to the right, his hair rippling softly in the breeze.

* * *

Standing at the front entrance, one hand punched in the front pocket of the black uniform pants, comfortably hanging loosely, and the other griping one of the 5 glass door handles, Naruto let go a deep breath, closing his eyes. _New days mean new doors, _he silently mused to himself, _one of the first hopefully. _Losing the smile he'd picked up then, he swung the door open and stepped on in, his footsteps caught only by him, something marking arrival. Heralding adventure. Face melting to something hovering barely over a monotone expression, he walked along and w/ the mass of students just like any other for his first class: Social Sciences, 7th floor.

"Heh," Naruto laughed quietly, lowering his head and smirking at the steadily progressing stairway, "escalators, nice." Getting over the fleeting curiosity soon enough though, he started to walk along w/ the rising steps. The escalators stopped each floor at large spacious areas where lockers and other classes were situated, empty space in the center and black, full lockers lining the cavity. Had it been any other building, he could easily have seen himself growing bored and more likely than not annoyed at the idea of the daily haul up and down these stairs, but instead the see-through glass pane structure between floors gave a great view and let light rupture through in great spectacle, the setting of the schools tops, undulating over and above the natural forest and rolling plains beyond was just enough to make you calm a little, at ease and more than anything lethargic to the feeling of humbled silence serenely casting.

Single strap cast over his right shoulder and down so his pack hung offhandedly, he strode coolly into the Social Sciences class. Normal sized and w/ singular desks lined in five columns, he took note that the teacher had yet to arrive. Eyes remotely scanning the class, he began to head for an empty desk he'd caught second from the back against the sun-light tinted transparent glass wall. Sliding his backpack off his shoulder and down his extended arm, it caught it's hanger at the side of his desk as he pulled out the tucked chair with his other hand. Sitting down quietly, he crossed his arms across the table top and placed his head on top, black uniform collar w/ white lining undone and ruffled pocking out, he casually looked over the class. _One, two,_ Naruto counted to himself, _no wait three cute girls! Holy fuck, ace! _Luck was on his side this time it seemed apparently. Enrapt, he studied them quit in depth, or as 'in depth' as he could go without actually going up and talking to them himself. The one standing over two other girls sitting at their desks, hands at her hips and blond, single long ponytail wasn't really his type though when he went over her more in detail: too busty. The other two however were sitting talking at their desks, one pink haired, the other a dark brunette w/ somewhat white-ish pupils and a tad bit pale. As he watched them though, something immediately caught his attention. Jumping to shock, head jumping up, his eyes at once reworked over to the brown haired guy who he hadn't even till then noticed talking to the pink and slim brown haired girl. And the other fell silent to catching the blond in sight. Both eyes lay locked, unmoving, and at least in Naruto's case utterly dazed.

_Kiba._

Naruto staggered slowly forward to the present situation.

_Kiba's here._

Naruto blinking in doubles, the infixed boys continued in silence.

_Wha-...?_

_And fina_lly the other teen cracked a slow smile, his tangled, light, straight brown haired bangs falling over and across his eyes as he raised a hand and waved at the still overly stupefied blond boy. Naruto, lagging slightly but catching up finally nodded in recognition back and made a weak wave with the free hand atop his still crossed arms.

The pink haired girl though, noting quite quickly that Kiba had broken from the conversation, followed the brown haired boys gaze till she fell eyes herself upon Naruto. Glancing back at Kiba, then Naruto, then back at Kiba once more, she couldn't help but speak up.

.

.

.

"...Friends?"

--

God damn. I feel like Steve Jobs.


End file.
